Cybersecurity Concentration

This Computer Science program is designed for graduate students who want to pursue a thorough education in the area of cybersecurity. The goal of this concentration is to provide students the knowledge, skills and the advanced development capability in science and engineering for cybersecurity, including computer and network security, software security, data and information security, applied cryptography and computer forensics. Students will have a competitive advantage to pursue graduate study in related research areas or to secure employment. There are also a number of competitive scholarships available with this program.  

ASU’s designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance has recently been renewed by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.  According to the National Security Agency, information assurance is defined as the set of measures intended to protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation. This includes providing restoration of information systems by incorporating protection, detection and reaction capabilities.

MS and MCS concentration students must take the following 15 credit hours of coursework:

• Required Courses (4 credit hours)
  • CSE 539: Applied Cryptography (3)
  • CSE 543: Information Assurance and Security (3)
  • CSE 545: Software Security (3)
  • CSE 548: Advanced Computer Network Security (3)
• Student must choose one of the following courses (3 credit hours)
  • CSE 466/598: Computer Systems Security (3)
  • CSE 467/598: Data and Information Security (3)
  • CSE 531: Distributed and Multi-Processor Operating Systems (3)
  • CSE 534: Advanced Computer Networks (3)
  • CSE 494/598: Computer and Network Forensics (3)

For PhD students, a minimum of 18 credits in information assurance and related areas are required.

• Students must take the following 12 credits of coursework:
  • CSE 539: Applied Cryptography (3)
  • CSE 543: Information Assurance and Security (3)
  • CSE 545: Software Security (3)
  • CSE 548: Advanced Computer Network Security (3)
• Students must choose two of the following courses:
  • CSE 412/598: Database Management (3)
  • CSE 460/598: Software Analysis and Design (3)
  • CSE 466/598: Computer Systems Security (3)
  • CSE 467/598: Data and Information Security (3)
  • CSE 468/598: Computer Network Security (3)
  • CSE 512: Distributed Database Systems (3)
  • CSE 531: Distributed and Multi-Processor Operating Systems (3)
  • CSE 534: Advanced Computer Networks (3)
  • CSE 561: Modeling and Simulation: Theory and Applications (3)
  • CSE 571: Artificial Intelligence (3)
  • CSE 572: Data Mining (3)
  • CSE 494/598: Computer and Network Forensics (3)

In addition, the thesis must have a major portion of the content in the cybersecurity area.